Wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks, have become increasingly popular in recent years. Wi-Fi networks operate according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard (e.g., IEEE-802.11 a/b/g/n). Industry standard Wi-Fi networks have a relatively short range: typically, an indoor range of about 100-300 feet and an outdoor range of approximately 1000 feet. The strength and performance of a Wi-Fi network radio signal typically degrades as the distance increases, and also depends on a number of factors, such as atmospheric conditions and physical obstructions.
To provide distributed wireless access to a network, network service providers often provide geographically-dispersed wireless access points. Wireless access points are network components that include radio interfaces which allow users to wirelessly access a local area computer network via portable, Wi-Fi enabled, wireless communication devices (WCDs), such as certain laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smart phones, cellular phones, and the like. Wi-Fi access points provide coverage areas that are referred to as “hotspots” and are currently located in many airports, hotels, restaurants, libraries, town centers, coffee shops and convention centers, for example.
Particularly, the term hotspot refers to the area extending from the wireless access point within which Wi-Fi radio signals are broadcasted and can be detected by Wi-Fi enabled WCDs. Each working wireless access point thus emits a wireless signal recognized by the Wi-Fi enabled WCDs. Upon successfully detecting the wireless signals, the WCDs may connect to and access the Wi-Fi network via a series of authentication and connection procedures with the Wi-Fi network.
At a WCD, the availability of a nearby Wi-Fi access point is typically detected in one of two ways: 1) by constantly keeping the WCD's Wi-Fi radio on so that the hotspot is detected when the WCD moves within range of the access point; or 2) by intermittently turning on the WCD's Wi-Fi radio to periodically scan for access points within range. It is also known to provide lists of available access points in particular geographic locations, in response to user requests received through a computer network.
Although useful in some circumstances, the above-mentioned techniques for detecting Wi-Fi access points present serious operational limitations in many situations.